Dr. Brenda Trudell, DC

New Year’s is fast approaching, along with the stress of creating resolutions that may never be kept.  Nearly 50% of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions, but only 15% of those are kept.  Scholars believe that resolutions for the New Year began around 4000 BC, when people would pay off debts and return borrowed items.  Later, Romans would start the New Year by assessing the past year, and then vow to accomplish more in the upcoming year.

For many, the same resolutions appear year after year, never getting accomplished. The stress of wanting to make major life changes and not knowing where to start usually deters people from following through on their promises. The most common ones involve losing weight, smoking, money, and stress.

The key to making a resolution stick may not be the actual resolution itself, but the mindset of approaching the process. Resolution is defined as determination, a firmness of mind or purpose.  It’s black and white; you either quit smoking or you don’t.  But a new way to approach it is to set the intention.  Intention is defined as “to have in mind a purpose or plan, to direct the mind, or an aim or objective”.  More gray than black and white, and a blueprint to get there. When we lack intention, we stray without meaning or direction.

To set an intention, you need to define it, write it down, set it up to happen, eliminate obstacles or find ways around them, identify steps to take, and then release it. Write positive affirmations to yourself to keep focused and motivated.

An important part of setting your intention is realistic goal setting. Long-range goals can be overwhelming because you feel like you will never reach them. Large goals should be broken into 12 mini-goals so milestones can be celebrated each month. Examine each day, and decide how much time you need to dedicate and when to fit it in. Create a detailed plan, including a calendar of when you want to accomplish things by. If you’re not sure how to accomplish it, ask someone with expertise in that area for help.

The first step is to begin where you are, as obvious as it sounds.  Many people start dreaming about the future, or angry that they are not already farther along. Appreciate and accept where you are now, and the fact that you are taking steps toward progress.  This alone will eliminate some stress from the process.

Use specific terms instead of vague ideas, so you know exactly when something has been accomplished. Saying “I want to lose weight” is vague, but “I will lose 10 lbs by Feb 1^st” is specific. Find substitutes or alternatives to behaviors you want to fix. If you eat unhealthy food because you think it tastes better, then take a cooking class focused on healthy but great tasting recipes so you have something to replace the bad food with. Start with one or two goals at the most so you don’t get overwhelmed. Many people find that once they change habits to meet their goal that many other habits also change anyway.

Once you have created your goal, the next step is to visualize it.  Vision is the ability to see something so clearly in your mind that you can manifest it in physical reality. Thoughts become things, so constantly fill your mind with positive images. A lack of vision is the main reason people don’t follow through on resolutions.

To harness your vision, you need to follow a few steps. Imagine how the new change will fit into your life. How will you feel? What will your life look like? Give your vision power by writing it down, telling others, making a collage with magazine pictures and words.  Visualize yourself with your accomplishment.  Imagine life after the goal.  You need to be able to see yourself achieving it in order to accomplish it. See it like a movie in your head, and replay the moment you achieve your goal over and over.

It’s impossible to predict everything, so it’s important to have a plan for roadblocks. Knowing how to deal with things ahead of time, like a table full of your favorite treats or an injury that prevents you from exercising, will keep you on track. Reminding yourself that you may not be in charge of all events but that you are in control with how you choose to react is crucial.  Staying calm will keep you from making irrational decisions that could sabotage your accomplishments.

Remind yourself that life is ongoing and this is a journey, not just a destination. It’s the experience along the way that will change you more than reaching the finish line.

To help stay on track, surround yourself with people who are trying to make positive changes too. Nothing is worse than someone who doesn’t care about what you accomplish, or tries to prevent you from reaching your goals. This person could be on the internet, or working out with you everyday. Give each other positive feedback when you reach milestones, and support when you struggle.

One idea is to get together and each brings 12 self-addressed, stamped, blank postcards. On each postcard, write a reminder, positive affirmation or a recap of your goals. Swap the cards with your buddy, and each month mail a card to your friend. A pleasant reminder in your own handwriting is a nice way to give you a jolt each month. Maybe you forgot your goals, or how important they were to you in January. Add an encouraging note and tell yourself how proud you are!

Most importantly, remember to reward yourself along the way when you reach your goals.  It doesn’t have to be big expensive things, and it is probably better if it’s not food. Making major life changes, especially health changes, may cause unpleasant sensations or withdrawal symptoms, particularly when detoxing. A new exercise program may cause sore muscles.  Treat your body to bodywork like lymphatic massage, chiropractic, acupuncture or reiki.  Yoga, meditation, and stretching are also beneficial. Footbaths, saunas and detox programs can also help release toxins and help reprogram your body. An entire day at a spa to pamper yourself is great motivation to get where you need to be, and a great reward once you get there.

Staying positive, creating goals, having a vision, and celebrating milestones will help make 2012 the year that resolutions become accomplishments instead just words on a paper.

Dr. Brenda Trudell is a chiropractor and owner of New Beginnings Chiropractic in Mount Horeb. She also practices at two other locations in Madison and Sauk City. The clinics focus on natural health, especially for women, pregnancy and children through chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, reiki, nutrition and more. For more information, visit newbeginningschiropractic.net or email at brendatrudell@drtrudell.com.

Dr. Brenda Trudell      

January is the perfect time of year for a full-body detox and cleanse.  After overindulging on holiday treats and huge meals, too many cocktails at holiday gatherings, skipping workouts for parties, and stressing over shopping and bills, it’s easy to see how our bodies can get overloaded with unhealthy fats and toxins.  Since most of us are already looking for healthy New Year’s Resolutions, why not throw in a detox program too?

A detox or cleanse doesn’t have to be expensive, lengthy or miserable.  Most of the items needed are readily available and inexpensive. Some simple planning will make the detox easy and enjoyable, and may help you shed a few unwanted pounds, restore your normal digestion, release nasty toxins, clear up your skin, and give you more energy.

A good cleanse should take about 7-10 days, and focus on internal health (digestion, lymphatic system, and flushing organs), external health (skin and mucous membranes), mental health, and physical health.  During this time, it is important to avoid sugar, refined and processed foods, dairy, red meat, salt, alcohol, caffeine, nicotine and other drugs. Try to keep meals light. Throw out any holiday leftovers, cookies and candy. Make sure to get plenty of rest too, as this is a healing time for your body. Cooking food at home puts you in control of what you are eating, and gives you a chance to add healthy spices, such as ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper, which promote detoxification and healing.

The most important part of any detox regimen is to include plenty of fluids, as this will help flush toxins out and keep our cells hydrated enough to properly get rid of waste products. At least 8 glasses of good quality water is an important start. Juicing organic fruits and vegetables, such as, citrus, apples, grapes, seaweed, cucumbers, beets, cilantro, garlic, parsley, carrots, and ginger, will help stimulate digestive enzymes, detox the liver and kidneys, and balance blood sugar. Try the fruit juices in the am, and the veggies in the pm.

Fruits and veggies help keep our bodies alkaline instead of acidic, which promotes cleansing.  To make an alkaline broth, chop up 2 cups each of spinach, broccoli, and red potato peels, 3 cups chopped celery, 1 small zucchini, and add 2 quarts distilled water. Bring everything to a boil and then simmer 20-30 minutes. Strain and drink the broth.

Eating a ton of veggies may become dull for some people, so making dishes with lots of flavor can really keep things fun. In a previous post on detoxing, I included a recipe for Detox Cabbage Soup. This soup is full of flavor, loaded with detoxifying veggies, high in fiber, contains immune boosting nutrients, and is low in fat and calories so you can eat a ton! This earlier post also has some other great tips on cleansing if you would like to incorporate those into your program as well.

Teas and other drinks are also an important part of the flush.  Decaffeinated green tea, ginger tea, detox teas, digestive teas, coconut water and hot water with lemon all help flush the liver and kidneys, improve circulation and promote healthy digestion.   

Next, focus on cleansing the digestive track.  Many Americans carry 5-20 pounds of fecal matter that never gets eliminated.  If we eat three times a day, we should eliminate three times a day, but for most of us, that is not the case.  Fecal matter remaining in our body releases toxins and impairs absorption of nutrients by preventing them from crossing the intestines. To make any positive changes with the detox, the intestines must be clear so the nutrients can reach the rest of the body.

Fiber is most important for cleaning out the digestive system.  Green veggies such as broccoli, romaine, celery and kale are excellent sources of fiber. Quinoa, brown rice and other whole grains are good sources as well.  Colonics are another option for removing fecal matter, but it doesn’t reach the whole length of the intestines, so be sure to include fiber too.

Supplements such as probiotics, vitamin D, vitamin C, magnesium, fish oil, and other antioxidants will promote healthy digestion and reduce inflammation.  Super-green foods like chlorella, spirullina, cilantro and green drinks also help the body release heavy metals and toxins, which is important when detoxifying. Many companies have high quality detox meal replacement shakes which contain essential vitamins and minerals needed to support the body during a cleanse.

The next area to focus on is the skin and external body.  Part of detoxing is removing germs and strengthening the immune system.  Make sure to clean all the mucous membranes where germs can invade.  Neti pots and naturopathic nasal sprays clean out the nose, hydrogen peroxide drops keep the ears clean, and eye drops can flush out the eyes.  After brushing your teeth, gently massage the gums and tongue with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide. A tongue scraper can be used to remove toxins and debris. Oil pulling is an ancient practice to help cleanse the mouth and teeth. First thing each morning, before brushing teeth or eating, take a tablespoon of coconut, olive or sunflower oil and swish it around in the mouth for 15 minutes, being sure to pull it back and forth between the teeth. Spit it out when done and do not swallow. After brushing, swish a few drops of cloves essential oil, or Thieves blend by Young Living, around in the mouth as a natural mouthwash.

Exfoliate by rubbing a dry brush all over the body in circular motions, starting at the periphery and moving towards the trunk.  Use an exfoliating scrub to remove toxins in the shower.  To help open the pores and release toxins, bathe with Epsom salts and lavender oil. An herbal body wrap is also very effective for eliminating a large amount of toxins and can help shed a few unwanted pounds. There are many wraps that can be purchased, or you can make your own. Link to Herbal Body Wrap Recipe. to This is also a good time to switch to all natural skin care products and cosmetics that aren’t full of toxic ingredients.

It is also important to work the physical body.  Aerobic exercise pumps the blood, moves lymphatic fluid, increases the amount of oxygen in the lungs, and promotes sweating, all of which remove toxins from our bodies.  Yoga has many great poses designed to detoxify, massage organs and promote deeper breathing, such as cobra, cat tilt, twists and others. Tai chi and Qi Gong in Chinese medicine also stimulate organs and promote detoxification.

Bodywork such as chiropractic, acupuncture, lymphatic massage and reiki also promote the release of toxins, detoxification, healing, and normal body function.  Bodywork can restore digestive health and improve immune system function.

Last but not least, we need to mentally detox. It’s a shame to have a clean body polluted with negative emotions and thoughts.  Journal writing is a good way to release regrets, worries and fears.  Mindful meditation trains you to focus your mind on the present and appreciate where you are and what you have. It can improve mood, decrease stress and boost immune function.

After the stress of the holiday season, take this time to relax and focus on yourself by doing this simple detox program.  To learn more and see some of the products up close, come to my health class, “New You in the New Year: Post-Holiday Cleanse & Detox” on Thursday, January 12^th at 6:30 PM at New Beginnings Chiropractic. Please RSVP as space is limited. By cleansing internally, externally, physically and mentally, you can release the negative from 2011 and be open for the positive that 2012 will bring!

Dr. Brenda Trudell is a chiropractor and owner of New Beginnings Chiropractic in Mount Horeb. She has two additional locations in Madison & Sauk City.  The clinics focus on natural health, especially for women, pregnancy and children through chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, reiki, nutrition and more. For more information, visit newbeginningschiropractic.net or contact her at brendatrudell@drtrudell.com.

I get asked all the time if “self-cracking” is ok to do. Or if it’s the same thing as getting adjusted by a chiropractor. I even have patients (and a brother) who get up off the adjusting table and wrench and twist their neck to get it to pop right in front of me! Ugh! Today I am going to give you the lowdown on why “popping” your own neck and back is NOT a good idea.

First, let’s talk about joint anatomy and what the popping noise really is. A joint is made up of bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles, cartilage, and synovial fluid. The joint capsule encloses the joint and keeps the fluid in and protects the joint. Check out the picture to get a better understanding. Keep in mind that in the spine, a vertebral disc would also be in between the vertebrae as well.  The “popping” noise we often hear is due to gases like oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide that are contained in the synovial fluid. When you pop or crack a joint, you stretch the joint capsule, which changes the pressure in the capsule, allowing the gases to be rapidly released and bubbles to form.  Other noises you may hear are snapping noises, which could be the result of a tendon’s position changing. Ligaments can also tighten when you change position, as what often happens in your knee or ankle. There could also be a bone-on-bone scraping or clicking noise, which is very different.

Now tell me if this sounds like you: You’re under a lot of stress and your neck feels tight. This morning you drove all over town meeting with clients. You were late for a meeting and the client left before you could get there. Now you’re back at the office staring at your computer screen. You’re stressed out because your computer keeps freezing up and you can’t get anything done. Your neck feels like it’s in a vice. Without giving it much thought you put one hand on the back of your head, cup your chin in the palm of the other hand, and twist sharply. Your neck pops like bubble wrap. You twist in the other directions, hearing and feeling another series of cracks. Finally, some relief. But soon the stress mounts again, tension builds, and you find yourself twisting your neck again. Each time the results are less satisfying. By the end of the day you feel like you’ve been through the ringer, and so does your neck.

Does this sound like you? Maybe you have a similar version where you twist until your low back pops, or have your child walk on your back, or lean backwards over the counter until you hear snap, crackle, pop. Whatever the scenario, it all leads to the same place, and it’s not good. Here is what I tell patients in my office. If you happen to move, turn, or bend and you hear a “pop”, it’s no big deal. If that pop is accompanied by pain, you should get it checked out. However, if you feel the need to pop things yourself, especially daily or multiple times a day, due to pain, discomfort or tightness, then it is time to get the problem fixed and stop making it worse by cracking it on your own.

When we are stressed out, have tense muscles, or vertebrae out of alignment, our body naturally wants to correct itself and be in the right place again. When you self-crack a tight spot, you are essentially trying to loosen up that area. That doesn’t sound so bad, huh? Well, when done repeatedly, that joint tends to become hypermobile, which means there is too much motion there. That may sound counterintuitive, because the whole reason you are popping it is because it feels tight. But when you constantly loosen the area around the joint, the muscles, tendons and ligaments that surround and stabilize the joint have to keep tightening up to keep the area stable. The message to your body is that something feels “loose”. So, after a while the tissues called in to stabilize the joint start to feel tense themselves because they are being asked to work harder than they should be. So the next message your body gets is “Ouch!”  You decide to “release” the pressure by popping the joint yourself. For a while, you might feel really good. But once your body gets the “loose” message again, it starts all over.

As time goes on, you get less relief and the effects of the popping last for shorter periods of time. You may have to do it more often, or stretch the spine farther to get the same results. Each time you do it, you are stretching the ligaments even farther, which weakens the joint capsule even more and sets you up for serious injury. There is also an increased risk for degeneration due to the increased wear and tear. It’s kind of like being addicted to smoking. You do it at first, it feels good, you think you can handle it. Pretty soon you need more and more, and next thing you know you’re a pack a day cracker. And you are still not addressing the real cause of the problem!  

As you overstretch the spine, you can cause microtraumas, tears, and damage to surrounding tissues, including arteries and nerves. If you are not trained in anatomy and physiology, you probably aren’t aware of everything that could be injured. Chronic self-cracking can lead to loss of elasticity in the ligaments, which causes the muscles to work harder and longer, setting them up for injury and fatigue.  Plus, you may not know if you have a more serious condition, such as a herniated disc, torn ligaments, bone or joint disease, cancer, or something else that is causing your pain, in which case popping it on your own will not fix the underlying problem.

When you go to a chiropractor, you will fill out a patient history form, and will be asked questions about your condition/injury. The doctor will perform an exam checking for range of motion, strength, neurological conditions, joint integrity, nervous system function, reflexes, posture and much more. All of this data is combined with the information you provided to find out 1) what is going on, 2) where is the problem coming from, 3) can we treat it? Once these questions are answered, treatment is based specifically on the information gathered, and chiropractic adjustments are administered ONLY to the areas that NEED it! It isn’t a free for all, “let’s see what pops” and be done with it. In fact, you may not hear any popping at all! That’s right, not all chiropractic adjustments lead to a popping noise, and the “noise” is not a way to determine if it was a “good” adjustment. The chiropractor can tell if joints are moving better, if inflammation has decreased, if pain has decreased, if nerve function has improved, etc, and those are the things that will determine if an adjustment was done correctly. So simply popping your back and hearing a noise only means that something moved; it does not mean that you gave yourself a chiropractic adjustment.

A chiropractor studies a number of different subjects in school, including extensive anatomy and physiology. They also take a lot of chiropractic technique classes, which are the classes where they actually learn how to adjust patients. They find out what direction the bone has moved out of alignment, and therefore, in which direction the adjustment needs to be performed in order to get it back into place. When you crack your own back, there is no way you can possibly know that. Chiropractors also perform the adjustments with the least amount of force and introducing the least amount of motion possible to get the job done. Again, this is not something that you can accomplish on your own.

So what should you do? For starters, STOP the self-cracking! It isn’t good for you in the short or long-term. Next, get to a chiropractor. He or she will decide the best course of action for a treatment plan. More than likely, they will not be adjusting the “loose” areas where you always feel the need to pop. There is probably a vertebra above or below that area that is stuck and is the real cause of your pain. By adjusting the stuck bone, your loose bones will have a chance to relax and heal. He or she will probably recommend some strengthening exercises to make the muscles and ligaments stronger, which in time will help stabilize and support the joints.

Yoga is also great for spinal health, as it increases flexibility, strengthens tissues, and improves posture. Decreasing stress through meditation, changing jobs, organizing clutter or other means can do a lot for getting to the cause of the problem. Maintaining a healthy weight is very beneficial to all joints, as it decreases the demand placed on them every day, and decreases wear and tear. Supplements and a healthy diet also promote healing, fight inflammation, and make our bones and joints healthier overall. Vitamin D, fish oil, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, glucosamine chondroitin and coconut oil are all great for this. Limit your amount of caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, omega 6 fatty acids, processed foods and soda, as these can all negatively affect spinal health and delay healing. Stay active and drink lots of good water!

Dr. Brenda Trudell is a chiropractor and owner of New Beginnings Chiropractic in Mount Horeb and Sauk City.  The clinic focuses on natural health, especially for women, pregnancy and children through chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, reiki, nutrition and more. For more information, visit newbeginningschiropractic.net.

Tis the season for the holidays, food, family and cheer!

And also for stress, weight gain, and more that we fear.

For giving, for laughing, for spending time with friends.

For cooking, for cleaning, and wondering if it will ever end.

The Holidays, for many, can be a blessing in disguise.

With stress, illness and injuries always on the rise.

Make this year different, and don’t fall into the trap.

Take care of yourself with chiropractic and maybe a nice long nap!

The holiday season can be a very stressful time for many. While there is so much to be grateful for, it is also easy to get wrapped up in everything and forget to take care of your own health. Putting others first on occasion can be beneficial, but when it is constant, the toll on your body can be huge. There are some easy ways to stay healthy during the holiday season. This article discusses 15 reasons why it is good to visit your chiropractor during the holiday season.

1. Stress. Everyone knows the holidays can be stressful. Dealing with family members you disagree with or mediating family fights. Finding money to pay for expensive gifts, holiday meals or travel expenses. Traveling and being stuck in airports or driving in bad weather. Or being alone if you have lost loved ones or live far away from friends and family. Everybody has a different reason but the end result is the same. Your body deals with stress by tensing up, headaches, neck pain, low back pain, jaw pain, stomach aches, etc. Many people “throw their back out” every year around the holidays because they get stressed out and don’t do anything about taking care of their own body. You need to put yourself first once in a while, fix the cause of the problem, and get adjusted to treat and prevent injuries from happening repeatedly. Chiropractic is powerful and is great to deal with the negative effects of stress on the body. Trust me, I have a psychology degree, and it sure comes in handy this time of year.
2. Travel. This is the busiest time of year for traveling, and there are so many reasons why it can mess you up. Being in a car for long periods of time, tensing up if driving in bad weather or heavy traffic, long lines at the airports, pressure changes in the cabin of a plane, sleeping in strange beds (or pullout couches), carrying heavy bags…it all takes a toll. The list goes on and on, but chiropractic is great for helping treat injuries brought on by wear and tear from traveling! A kink in the neck from sleeping on a bad pillow, sore shoulder from lifting heavy suitcases, sciatica pain from a 12 hour car ride. You name it! Before and after your next trip, get adjusted. Your body (and in-laws) will thank you! **Travel tip: Pack a tennis ball in your carry on and use it as a self-massager whenever you need a break. Put it between your back and a wall, and lean into it, using as much pressure as you can. Roll side to side and up and down to give yourself some quick relief!
3. Cold & Flu. Tis the season for the sniffles and chills. Being stuck indoors, weaker immune systems, decreased vitamin D levels, and stress can all impact our health. Getting adjusted regularly can balance the nervous system, boost the immune system, promote lymph drainage and strengthen the lungs and other organs. It also helps eliminate and excrete toxins that can make us unhealthy. Chiropractic can also help fight ear infections, sinus infections and many other illnesses that occur more often in the winter months. Use it to prevent and treat many conditions so that you can stay healthy this year.
4. You may not have to pay for it. Believe it or not, but it may be free for you and your family to see the chiropractor this time of year! Many people still have funds left in a flex account that need to be used up by Dec 31^st. If you do, then you will get reimbursed for your visits. Depending on your insurance plan, you may have met your deductible a while ago, or have a specific number of office visits to use in a year, but your plan will be rolling over the first of the year. If this is the case, you will lose chiropractic visits you have already paid for forever. Why give the insurance company your money when you could REALLY use the adjustments yourself? Even if you are not covered by flex plan or insurance, you could mention it to friends and family looking for gift ideas for you. Many offices offer gift certificates or would allow a pre-pay if someone wanted to purchase treatments as a gift. Instead of asking for things you don’t really need, mention the gift of chiropractic to your loved ones.
5. Bad Weather. Even though we are not snow covered yet, we will be before you know it. Snow and ice can cause so many injuries. Falls on ice, car accidents, shoveling, skiing & snowboarding tumbles and more are pretty common in these parts. It is important to get checked out right away if any of these things happen. Often times, you may not feel the pain until hours or days after the injury happens. During that time you may have been causing more damage. Getting adjusted right away will help the healing process and prevent further damage.
6. Fight SAD & Depression. With the hours of sunlight much shorter, our vitamin D levels drop a lot this time of year. Coupled with the stress of the holidays, it is easy to see why so many people get depressed in the winter. Instead of running to the MD to get a prescription for Prozac, try fighting it with more natural methods. Chiropractic has a positive impact on the nervous system, which can balance the spinal cord and CSF. Being in balance, pain free, and having all of our systems functioning properly can be enough of a boost for many to prevent depression. Many chiropractors also sell vitamin D3 at their offices, which has been clinically proven to fight depression naturally. I recommend it to all my patients during the winter months and the results are amazing.
7. Shoveling & Raking. Many people injure themselves every year from using bad form while shoveling and raking. Wet, heavy snow can really be damaging, especially when bending and twisting. It is important to have an ergonomic shovel that is the correct length for your height. Use proper form, and if you are not healthy enough to do the work, hire someone else to do it for you. If you do injure yourself, make sure to get seen by a chiropractor sooner rather later to avoid damaging the area even more.  Our winter is long enough; don’t make it even longer by suffering on top of it.
8. Shop Til You Drop. Over-doing it when you are shopping by carrying bags and boxes that are too heavy for you can cause shoulder and elbow pain. Standing on concrete floors at large stores for long periods of time can cause back pain and knee pain. Loading and unloading heavy boxes into your back seat can throw your back out. Be careful when shopping to avoid injury, but know that your chiropractor can put you back together so you don’t have to miss all the great deals.
9. Sluggish Digestion. During the holidays, we tend to change our eating habits. We eat more, the food we eat is heavier, it’s not as fresh, we consume less fruits and vegetables, and our meals contain more starches & sugars, and less fiber. This can affect our digestion in many ways. We can become constipated, bloated, gassy, or have heartburn. Chiropractic has a big impact on our digestion because it affects the nervous system, which in turn controls the nerves that go to our stomach and intestines. If this communication is not running smoothly, our digestion can slow down.  Adjustments can get your bowels running smoothly again and help keep you regular throughout the winter.
10. Headaches. Headaches have a variety of causes. They can be from direct trauma to the head, muscle tension, misalignments in the neck, stress, needing eye glasses, allergies, illness, alcohol, chemicals, and much more. To rule out more serious causes such as tumor or stroke, it is important to be evaluated by a chiropractor or medical doctor. For most people, headaches have a musculoskeletal origin, and respond very well to chiropractic adjustments. During the holidays, stress can be a major cause. Muscle tension throughout the neck and shoulders can pull on the base of the skull and lead to pain throughout the head. Over-the-counter pain meds offer relief, but aren’t safe to take long term and don’t really fix the original problem. This holiday season, try chiropractic for stress related headaches and give yourself a real gift.
11. Pregnancy. So, ok, pregnancy isn’t only related to the holidays, but it’s a good idea to get chiropractic adjustments throughout pregnancy. During the holidays, a pregnant woman’s body can be affected by all of the things that we discussed already in this article. The difference is that a mom-to-be is more susceptible to stress, injury, and getting sick because of the structural and hormonal changes she is going through. She is also less able to take medication to treat a problem because of the effects on the fetus. She should also try to decrease her stress load during pregnancy, as chemicals released by her body can have a negative impact on the baby. Chiropractic adjustments during pregnancy are a wonderful way to keep the body aligned, decrease muscle tension and prepare the mom’s body for the birth process. If you have a loved one who is pregnant, a combo of prenatal chiropractic and massage gift certificates would be VERY appreciated this year.
12. It Feels Good! Sometimes, you just don’t need research, science or financial reasons to back you up. If you are busy baking, cooking, cleaning, shopping, hosting, shoveling and just want to pamper yourself, who cares? Just do it! It’s relaxing, de-stressing, releases muscle tension and you feel pretty darn good afterwards. So give yourself a gift that feels great this year!
13. Decorating. Are you the type who goes out hunting for the perfect tree, then cuts it down yourself, and has to tie it to the car and carry it into the house? Do you have box after box of heavy decorations up in the attic or down in the basement? Do you perform circus-type acrobatics trying to hang the Christmas lights? Decorating itself can cause some injuries if we are not careful. Don’t be a Christmas Casualty this year. If you overdo it hanging Rudolph on the roof, get yourself checked out.
14. Detox. After a couple of months of gorging on candy, cookies, alcohol and other treats, our bodies need a good detox. The impact of sugar, processed foods, extra fat and alcohol can take a toll on our liver, kidneys and digestive system. A thorough cleanse can help purify our system and get us balanced again. But it is important to include chiropractic while cleasning, as the adjustments help regulate the digestive system and keep things moving smoothly. The last thing you want to do is stir up a bunch of toxins in the body, and then not be able to properly eliminate them because you are “backed up”. Detoxing is also a great way to begin a weight loss program, as it frees up toxins from fat cells. The average person gains 3-10 pounds throughout the holiday season, so this is usually when many people try to lose weight. Here is a link for a quick post-holiday cleanse. http://www.newbeginningschiropractic.net/healthtips.html#detoxandcleanseyourbodyaftertheholidays
15. Starting a New Workout. Millions of Americans list working out as their number one New Year’s resolution. This is great if you are really going to stick with it. Exercising is the best way to lose weight, lower your blood sugar, lower your blood pressure, lower your cholesterol and more. It strengthens muscles and increases bone density. But many people don’t make it through the first month, let alone the whole year. One of the reasons people stop working out is because of pain or injury. Everyone should be evaluated by a chiropractor BEFORE starting an exercise routine, especially if they are new to regular exercise. Foot, knee and hip pain can sideline someone pretty quickly and can be very frustrating. An undiagnosed low back injury can spell trouble if lifting weights. It is important for the body to be balanced before starting to exercising, or one side of the body will be weaker and have to compensate for the other, which in turn can lead to future injuries. If your New Year’s resolution includes working out, make sure to get evaluated so you don’t do more damage than good.

And with that, I hope the rest of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 are the best for you and your family! Happy Holidays with chiropractic!

Dr. Brenda Trudell is a chiropractor and owner of New Beginnings Chiropractic in Mount Horeb and Sauk City.  The clinic focuses on natural health, especially for women, pregnancy and children through chiropractic, acupuncture, massage, reiki, nutrition and more. For more information, visit newbeginningschiropractic.net.

So, I use my computer a lot. When I have time between patients, I am checking Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, my blog, working on our office email newsletter, website, writing articles, responding to emails, etc. I am in charge of 6 Facebook pages, 2 Twitter accounts and 5 email addresses. I am also constantly learning about new social media avenues, such as QR codes, Four Square and others. Patients find me and schedule with me through Facebook, email, texting or calling my cell phone. I have a smart phone, which is great because I do many things on the go. But it also sucks because I can do many things on the go.

In this fast paced, technology crazy society, I find myself getting sucked into this trap too. I too get a sore thumb from texting, or pain in my elbow from holding my phone. I get angry whenever I enter a dead zone and lose a call or my browser takes too long to upload a page. So some days, it would just be great to take a break from it all. For Day 15, I am going off the grid from technology and giving my mind and body a much needed rest. (Note: this post will be written on the day after, since I will not be on the computer on Day 15).

I decided I would do this one over a weekend because I really can’t do it during the week in case a patient would need to get ahold of me. I did have my phone on, but it was on silent and not on me all day. I checked it twice to see if there were any calls from patients, which there were not. I have to say, it felt strange not having my other appendage with me, but I quickly got used to the freedom and soon forgot all about it. It was refreshing and peaceful to not be constantly checking pages and accounts, or updating statuses, or making calls. It is definitely something that I would like to do more often in the future.

It’s funny that now that we have cell phones, and everyone is virtually “available” at any given second, how irritated we get when someone doesn’t immediately respond to a call or text. I know I have been guilty of it. It’s like we forget the person at the other end has a life, or may be sleeping, or may just not feel like talking! While it’s nice to have that instant reply to a question, we also need to slow down and not expect so much. How did we get along before cell phones and the internet? No, seriously. I don’t know how we did.

I also worry about the children growing up these days, and how much more they are exposed to. Instant gratification at a young age may breed more impatient adults. We may be changing the hardwiring of neurons through constant exposure to TV, computers and phones. And social interaction has got to be affected as well. Cyber-bullying is a huge problem. How much easier is it to call someone a fat pig over the internet than face to face? Kids can get meaner real quickly because there aren’t repercussions. And is technology contributing to childhood obesity as well? If we are going to set a healthy example for our kids when it comes to technology, shouldn’t we follow our own rules?

So from this, I learned that I CAN live without being tied to web. I can let my phone go to voicemail without a major meltdown in the world. It doesn’t mean I have to like it, but it can be done. And I honestly feel better for doing it. Yay!

This is an area where I always feel like I can improve on. As far as recycling goes, I know how to separate garbage, plastic, glass and cardboard. I do need some help with particular plastics though. Can they all go in the recycling bin? What about garbage bags or baggies? I do my best not to add to my plastic bag collection. I bring reusable bags when I can, and if I forget, I go with paper. Periodically I try to donate those paper bags back to the store to be reused. As for the plastic bags I do have, they work nicely to wrap fragile objects when packing or moving.  When I go to Subway (it’s right next to my office) I never take a bag. They hand them out every time, and it gets thrown away in about 30 seconds. The lady kept giving me strange looks at first, but now she knows me and totally gets it.

Anyways, I would like to find even more ways to reuse items, increase their shelf-life, and just use less in general. For instance, I need to use less paper towels and napkins when I eat. I like to have a napkin to wipe my hands on, so why don’t I just get a cloth one? I already hung a real towel in my bathroom at work so that I don’t have to use paper towels every time. Now I need to do the same thing while I eat.

At the office, we get a lot of junk mail and junk faxes. I hate just throwing paper away if it can be used in some way. I started reusing the back sides of paper if it is blank for printing miscellaneous office documents. For papers that aren’t important, or if we just need to have a copy on hand, I like to reuse these extra papers with the blank side so we don’t waste two sheets of paper. If something can’t be used for printing, but has a blank side, I will cut it up and use it for scratch paper at the office. We are always taking down notes, phone messages, etc. These little slips of paper work great and it gives them another use before being recycled. When I get a colored piece of paper, I try to save it for making signs or flyers where I need something brighter to grab attention. I also save on ink by printing fast draft, low quality whenever I can.

I use glass and metal recyclable bottles for water and other beverages whenever I can.  For lunches, I try to keep things in reusable packaging as often as possible. I do need to improve on using baggies though. Sometimes they are so convenient, but they hardly ever get reused. That is a habit I definitely need to break. When you buy premade veggie trays that have separate compartments, keep the container! You can make your own veggie and dip trays in the future! Or cheese and crackers, etc. Finding uses for used tinfoil would be nice too…

For skincare products, I reuse glass jars for making homemade body scrubs and other products. I also reused a shampoo bottle to hold my homemade body wash and it worked great! When I finish a bottle of essential oil, I keep the bottle because often times smelling the oils will give some benefit too. I also know that I need to use less product in general. I always take more shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc., than I need. If I start with less, I can always add more if I need it. That probably applies to many areas.

I try not to throw anything away that can potentially find a happy home. I like garage sales, donating to Goodwill or giving things away to friends and family. In fact, I am hoping to unload a bunch of stuff in the next couple of weeks as I am moving again! This is a great opportunity to take an inventory of what I have, what I need, and what I can live without. Part of my journey is to just not have so much stuff in the first place. As I wrote about in a previous post, De-Clutter and Get Organized, I have a lot of stuff, and a family history of having WAY too much stuff. I don’t want to end up like that. I want to have things because they are useful and serve a purpose. So I guess part of reducing would be to stop adding to it.

I also wish that gas stations had a recyclable bin at the pump. I love cleaning out my car when I am getting gas, but a lot of the trash needs to be recycled and I hate just throwing it all in the garbage together.

It is exciting to find new uses for old things, to give things a second life, or to finally part with others when they have fully served their purpose. Looking at an object and really thinking about how much energy and how many resources were used to make it, and then comparing it to how long it will be used for before it’s tossed into a landfill gives you some perspective. These are areas that I will continue to work on. Feel free to share any of your creative ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling.

I was always one of those kids who actually liked going to school. I did well, got good grades, and honestly liked taking tests. When continuing education time rolls around, I excited about new stuff I can learn. If I could afford to keep going to school and get more degrees, I would do it in a second.

That’s probably why I read as much as I do, and why I want to become a lactation consultant and get certified in some other areas. A few years back I attended a doula training seminar that was amazing. There is so much about the human body and women’s health that fascinates me. I want to learn it all. It helps that this area is a huge passion of mine, as you could call me a “birth junkie”. So tonight I attended the Dane County Breastfeeding Symposium and I learned a lot.

This was the 11^th annual symposium put on to help educate professionals who work with lactating women, and discuss current trends and topics. Tonight’s main focus was on obesity and breastfeeding, and struggles within this population to nurse their babies. I have to say that learned some information that I was not aware of, and I will look at some things in a very different way. I also met many wonderful individuals from south central WI who are just as passionate about this subject as me! There is a wonderful group called the Breastfeeding Coalition of South Central WI, and they are ones in charge of putting on the symposium. Their focus is to help promote and protect breastfeeding in our state. You may be thinking, why does something like breastfeeding need to be protected? Well, it needs to be protected in the workplace, in public places, in the home, everywhere. There are legal, ethical and cultural issues that all need to be dealt with to ensure that every mom and baby has the right to uninterrupted nursing. It sounds strange, but that is one of the things I learned tonight.

Breastfeeding is one of the most natural and holistic things a woman can do. There is nothing better for the baby than milk from her mother. Plus it is green! No energy is used to heat it up, package it, sterilize it or anything. It is better for the environment, baby’s health, and mom’s health. And extended breastfeeding past the first year is something that more families about becoming passionate about. Many professionals feel that breastfeeding until age two has tremendous health benefits for the child.

Now that I know about this event and this group, I plan on letting others know so that they can learn about it as well. And I will continue to seek knowledge and join new groups and learn from others whenever I can. Keep your brain active and constantly challenge it with new information and new paradigms. Use it or lose it holds true in many ways, and our mental health is no different. And don’t be afraid to learn about things you assume you’ll dislike or that are different from what you currently believe. If someone would have told me 10 years ago that I would be where I was now, learning what I am learning, or attending a breastfeeding symposium, I would have laughed in their face. Change comes with learning, but you have to be willing to see things differently for that to happen.

I love reading. Most of what I have read over the past ten years was for school, business or health related. Recently I began reading more books for entertainment rather than for learning.  For Day 12, I want to read something more health based. We have many books in our lending library on a wide variety of topics, including natural childbirth, vaccines, nutrition, new age healing & wellness, chiropractic lifestyle and more. One book that has been sitting on the shelf for four years now is The Book of Ayurveda: A Holistic Approach to Health and Longevity by Judith Morrison.

This book is absolutely perfect for Holistic Living Month. Ayurveda is an ancient healing that has been used in India for thousands of years. It focuses on energy systems, and how these systems relate to the development of disease. By using food to increase or decrease these energies, you can start to treat some of your own symptoms and balance your body. It also discusses holistic techniques such as meditation, yoga, herbology and massage to soothe and balance.

This month for me is really about evaluating my diet, exercise, stress, sleep, emotional well-being and cleansing to find some sort of balance. To really make a change, you need to affect many areas in your life, not just one. That is why you will NEVER hear me say I am on a diet. To be on a diet is like you are saying there is a final date of when you will be done eating less or eating healthy. It is a timeline, and in real life, eating healthy should be a continuum. There shouldn’t be an end just because your reunion or wedding date is here. I also feel that diets lead to stress and the feeling of failure. “That diet didn’t work for me” is a common phrase I hear. Well, guess what? Eating healthy does work! So does exercise, and decreasing stress and getting enough sleep at night. “Dieting” takes the responsibility away from the individual and puts it on the diet itself, which will never work. Diets don’t work, people do.

I love healing systems like Oriental Medicine and Ayurveda because it’s a built-in way of life, not a specific food to eat or avoid. Not a specific hardcore workout. They all center around personal traits that we each have that affect our health. And from there designing a treatment plan that is individualized. Eating real food, not overly processed and factory farmed garbage. Breathing exercises, bodywork and some form of meditation are usually involved. And of course, exercise. It is a way of life, not a fad.

So I will be incorporating the information I have learned in this book throughout the rest of the month. Hopefully I can add daily yoga, meditation tips, foods and more that will help keep me in balance. This book is free to check out at our office, so after I am finished with it, feel free to give it a try yourself.

One quick note before I get started with Day 11. While this series of blog posts has been very fun and rewarding, I’m surprised at how much longer it takes to get them done than I originally anticipated. I have been doing the deeds each day, and adding on as I go when appropriate. But it has definitely been tough finding the time to write them up and get them posted. I also do not have internet at home, so I can’t upload them at night. The last two weeks have also been very busy with work, meetings, events and activities, so I have less time to do some extra writing. I want to take the time to make each post interesting as well, so I didn’t want to just write a bunch of garbage. So with that, I hope you accept my apologies on the timeliness of some of my postings, and be aware that over the next two days I will be adding a bunch of posts.

For Day 11, I decided to volunteer…even more than I already do. I feel that giving back is extremely important, and many of our best organizations are volunteer-based. There is a sense of community when people come together to give for the sake of giving, and not expecting anything in return. When I first started my practice, I wanted to be a part of the community and give back. I joined the Chamber of Commerce and volunteer on the Board of Directors, the Brewfest Committee and the Member Services Committee. I also help out with the Mount Horeb Farmer’s Market, and am one of the co-leaders of the South Central WI Holistic Moms Group. I recently joined the South Central WI Breastfeeding Coalition and will be volunteering there as well. I also help out with other organizations as needed.

Tonight, I “voluntarily” attended the Strategic Planning Meeting for the Mount Horeb Area Chamber of Commerce, where we look ahead at the upcoming year and plan what we want to focus on. And guess what we discussed? Volunteers! Our chamber puts on a number of successful events throughout the year, and we donate to many local organizations. The funds raised at these events supports our local community and businesses. For these events to happen, there need to be volunteers. Same with our Holistic Moms Group, the farmers market and many other things. I want to do what I can to help groups and organizations in our city, state or county succeed.

I know everyone is busy. I’m busy. But sometimes we need to give a little back to our communities so we can enjoy the wonderful things that are brought to us through the effort of countless volunteers. A lot of people like to just show up at events, and often times complain about how long something took, or how unorganized an event was. What they don’t understand is that the volunteers may have been understaffed and were struggling just to stay afloat. A few more bodies may have made all the difference between chaos and smooth sailing. And a little understanding and gratitude for those that do help out goes a long way.

I’m not saying that I will say yes to every single person that asks me to help out with something. But I will definitely look for opportunities to help out where I think there is a real need or for groups I am passionate about. Especially with the holidays coming up, it is pretty easy to find places where your services can benefit others in need. And who knows? You may have a really good time! I find that if I am volunteering for groups that I have an interest in, the time flies by and it doesn’t feel like work at all! Plus, I meet great people, make lots of great connections and learn something all the time.

I am going to take what I learned at my meeting tonight and try to apply it to my own life. Hopefully I can encourage others to volunteer their time as well.

Yeah, I have to be honest, this is a tough one for me. Normally, I am a very forgiving and open minded person. If someone has wronged me, but they admit it and apologize, I generally get over it no problem. In fact, I had more problems in the past by keeping repeat offenders in my life, rather than tossing them to the curb. But on the other hand, if I feel someone has wronged me, and they do not own up to it, or they ignore me, lie to me, attack me, or do things behind my back, that is when I get angry and tend to hold onto that anger. Sometimes it lingers for a long time, and it’s hard to let go. I’ve had situations in the past where it affected my sleep and consumed my thoughts. That’s not good.

So, for Day 10, one of my hardest days yet, I am practicing complete forgiveness for specific people I feel have wronged me. I am not naming names, and I am choosing not to bring it up to these people at this time. I honestly do not even know if any of these individuals really know the hurt, frustration, sadness or anger they have caused me. But I do, and it’s time to let it go.

There are 6 people in my life right now I am choosing to forgive. Four of them are people that at this point I don’t have any intention of reconnecting with or having any kind of a relationship with, but nonetheless, I am tired of carrying around the extra baggage of bitterness towards things that happened in the past. There may have been other situations in their lives that made them act the way they did, or maybe they honestly didn’t realize that what they did was hurtful to me. Two of them I tried many times to talk with, and nothing seemed to help. One did so much stuff behind my back that when it finally came out there was nothing left to reconcile.

The remaining two people make the most upset. They were/are two people that I consider close friends, but I feel betrayed and I know I was lied to. For them, I hope there is some reconciliation in the future. I don’t know if things will ever go back to the way they were, but I can always hope. Either way, on my end, I want to let this all go so I don’t waste energy on things I can’t change.

I am unconditionally forgiving these 6 individuals and releasing any negative thoughts tied to them. If they enter my mind in the future, I will simply observe the thought and let it go without judgement or attaching any emotion to it. I think forgiveness is something we could all use in this world, and I know I am not perfect myself.